Serving Moldova

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Moldova

Moldova, an Eastern European country landlocked between Romania and Ukraine, became
an independent republic after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The capital city of Moldova is Chisinau. Moldova covers 33,851 square kilometers, with a wide variety of terrain including rocky hills, forest, and vineyards. The population of Moldova is approximately 3.5 million people however, 1 in every 3 adults leave to find work abroad. While the major language in Moldova is Romanian quite a few people still speak Moldovan or Russian.

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, due to the decrease in the industrial output following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Moldova relies highly on it’s agricultural output and food processing to sustain the economy. The main crops grown in Moldova are wheat, maize, sunflowers, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Moldova is most well know for it’s Vineyards and it’s production of wine.

The people of Moldova are faced with many social and emotional issues, they are a people who lived under dictatorship for so long that they can’t grasp thinking and doing on their on. As a direct result of poverty the people are searching for something that can ease the pain. Most Moldovan’s live on a salary of 150 dollars a month, and most of this income is spent to keep warm during the harsh winter months. When living in such hopeless conditions a father or mother may choose to leave their home to go abroad in search of work. Some turn to alcohol, it has been cited that Moldova is the number 1 drinking country in the world, an average person drinks 18.2 liters/4 gallons each year. Moldova’s population inside the village, outside of the major cities, consist mostly of people over the age of 55 and children. The older people are often left alone or left to care for children that have been left by their parents. The children left in these homes are forced to grow up and never enjoy childhood. Human trafficking is on the rise in Moldova, as many see this as an easy way to earn income. Families may sell their oldest child in order to gain money to keep the rest of the family warm during the winter. To add to the stress of daily life Moldavans are also faced with a government system that is both corrupt and unstable.

Looking in from the outside Moldova seems to be a place where hope is lost however, we serve a God who can and does move in and through this country. We have seen His hand working in many people here.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26 NLT

We encourage you to enjoy the 2 slide shows below to see both the beauty and people of Moldova!